Santa's lost his Mojo
by paradoxon
Summary: Rose just wanted a perfect Christmas. Wanted to breath in the sweet smell of selfmade cookies, a little tree just for the fun of it in the TARDIS and a snowball-fight with the Doctor. But how could she guess a certain TimeLord didn't want to be remembered of Christmas at all? [Holiday-Fanfiction (5/5) Nine & Rose]
1. CAROL OF THE BELLS

**A/N:** Christmas is coming! And I'm totaly cozy this year, so I thought it would be quite nice to push a Christmas-Fanfiction online. This one is my *first* english written Fanfiction, so please consider this when you read any further and don't blame me for one or two mistakes I'm sure I'm going to make. I'm trying hard, for I love to *read* english Fanfictions since I don't know when.

_So, what is this all about?_  
Any ideas why the Doctor is suddenly not just grumpy, but a real Grinch when it comes down to Christmas'Spirit?  
Let's find out, shall we?

**UNIVERSE** NINE &amp; ROSE  
**AGE** K+, MAYBE T LATER

Thanks for reading!

****[T]****

"For it is good to be children sometimes,  
and never better than at Christmas,  
when its mighty Founder was a child Himself."

[CHARLES DICKENS]

Sometimes you wake up with a strong feeling of anticipation. You sense how your heart-rate increases the moment you open your eyes and you know in this very second that the day would be simply wonderful. With lots to do on your mind, you consider even to start it right in pyjamas, because there's nothing in the entire universe more important than to begin with your work. It's quite a fantastic feeling, truth be told – and for Rose Tyler it's nothing more or less than bringing the Christmas-Spirit right into the TARDIS.

It wasn't easy to keep track of the "where" and "**when**" between adventures in Time and Space, but with a calender from earth on the bed-stand and a good placed countdown after leaving Powell Estate, Rose could claim the date on Christmas Holiday near enough – though it wouldn't have been a problem if not, for the Doctor was no one, somebody had to asked twice for having a good time.  
Just four weeks ago, Rose remembered amused, she had the idea to celebrate St. Patricks Day in the Control-Room of their space ship – it didn't even matter that St. Patricks traditionally was feted on 17th of March: it was just for the fun of it and so the Doctor took her to Dublin in 1974 where they stood for two whole days leaving their problems behind for at least what seemed a few fantastic hours. She loved those moments; these moments, when the Doctor lets go of his retracted self; because sometimes it was necessary to take over the TimeLords' wheel, metaphorical spoken, to show him the wonderful aspects of his alien sinews.  
Rose naturally hoped Christmas would do the trick.

She did even had a plan – since month in fact. I wouldn't be easy to decorate the TARDIS with her own stubborn will which matched the one of her Captain quite perfectly, but with enough friendliness and patience Rose persuaded the Time-Machine to allow her a little Christmas Tree she was going to remove on her own later when the Holidays were over. The TARDIS remained sceptical though, but Rose didn't mind.  
The human girl was also engaged in organizing spices and anything else she would need for baking, always on guard not to fall for the Doctors curiosity. As a matter of fact she told him from time to time they were out of milk again and therefore needed to stop by on earth – the only planet in the universe where cows are at home. It was also indeed a benefit for Roses' little crimes that the TimeLord didn't ask much questions. Sometimes he seemed to ignore her comepletly, distracted by his own thoughts of things which never happened, will possibly happen or could have been happened. And every now and then between their conversations he looked at her as if he saw her for the very first time.

So Rose wandered with slippers in her dressing gown and messy hair through one of the countless corridors of the ship, flanked by some small round windows which granted a sight into the darkness of space. You got used to that; in fact you got used to anything when you were travelling with the TimeLord – even the obscurity. Rose couldn't imagine anything else anymore, it wasn't perfect. But it was perfect enough for her and it was fine.

****[T]****

The TARDIS' kitchen was a broad galley with a small niche to sit and eat. There was anything they needed, but Rose suspected the TimeMachine could do better than that, luxurious even. She simply thought it unnecessary, or the Doctor himself did – the blonde had frankly no idea how the room-stuff on this Ship worked for that matter.  
With a happy grin she started to rummage about her things in the cupboards, grabed her mothers kitchen supplies, which Mom already missed for sure (Rose didn't ponder to ask) and began to heat the water-boil for some tea. Between teabags and flour the human girl assumed some screwdriver-ing would have quicken the baking-process, but didn't she love the domestic way and the possibilty to maintain that anything she did was baked through her own hands?

On the Radio (a thing the TimeLord set up some time ago so you can hear any music you wish in any room you hang around) played old Christmas-Music, to which Rose started automatically a bit bobbing and singing while she began to tame the dough for the cookies with more or less effort. Singing has been one of her favourite hobbies quite a while ago; a bit of a talent she never ever brought to the surface, thanks to that bloke Jimmy Stone – her lousy ex-boyfriend who wanted nothing but her money so he could run off with another stupid girl. Rose never really got over it, and therefore music was no longer an option.  
But this was Christmas, wasn't it? On Christmas everything was fine – Christmas was the answer of so many conflicts between people: the love feast, the only day no one would think about starting a war. Rose loved the aspect of family and contemplativeness, so one could only wish to find something alike throughout the other 364 days of the year.

Roses' tounge stucked between her teeth, the mixing bowl under one arm now and the whisk in her hand. She fought so hard with the pestry, she didn't notice the Doctor clearing his throat in her back, while he leaned with his arms folded in the doorframe, attentive and curious about what his companion might be doing on such an hour with nothing more but a bathrobe tentatively wrapped around the waist. But Rose only sighed and maneuvered the bowl back on the kitchen-tray, as she run a mealy hand crossways over her forehead. The blonde picked behind her to the small table, wanted to catch her tea-cup for a little sip, distracted from her own thoughts that she didn't notice the Doctor was holding the cup already directly at hear.  
On the first account she thanked him, on the second, she let out a small, but surprised scream the Alien returned with no less than a maniac grin. Before the cup could fall to the floor, though, the Doctor put his hands around Roses' own so nothing but a bit of water swipped over the cups' edge and oozed the sleeve of her robe. The girl stopped breathing for a moment, staring in the sky blue eyes of his and letting out a weak laughter that died between their proximity, before she took an awkward half step back, feeling caught in the act.  
"How long have you been here?"

"'Heard you sing", the Doctor confessed slowly with the inquisitiveness of a scientist who found out something new about an old experiment. Rose just shrugged uncomfortably and dived wordlessly behind her tea cup. After a while the TimeLord surveyd his companion's doing in the kitchen and on it's plate, the scattered flour, the opened cloves, eggs and milk, a frown on his face, Rose didn't immediately recognize. "What're ya' doin'?"  
First surprised, the human girl instantly began to grin a very wolfish grin of hers; her cup wandered back onto the kitchen-plate to be replaced by the mixing bowl she cradled proudly to the sound of the music in both her arms. "'Am baking. For Christmas. Just four more weeks, Doctor – how can we celebrate without any cookies and things?" The TimeLord's frown darkened for a brief instant, but Rose happily bubbled on: "Mum always says the cookies make the feast. Did help her every time when I was I toddler, me, loved that. Bakery store all at home, ya know? Should've been a surprise for you though." Rose scratched her head. "But the smell of the stove had gave me away, anyway." She breathed. "Thought we could make it cozy, what'ya think? Decorate the TARDIS with a cute little Christmas Tree – she allowed me by the way – havin' a good time, going to Boston on the Christmas Market – something like that." It would be perfect, and quite romantic too, she noticed incidental. Or as romantic as it could get with her alien friend who wasn't the best date one could have, truth be told. "It's going to be fantastic."  
The girl was about to continue her work, ignoring the fact the Doctor didn't replay anything to her plans at all, as she saw his stoic face: "Anything wrong?" He blinked two times, blue eyes on the kitchen-plate, directed to the chaos Rose had left there. She missinterpreted his silence: "Oh! Sorry, I will clean that up of course. I'm such a tragedy when it comes to cook and bake, but ya' know this already, do'ya?"  
"There will be no Christmas."

****[T]****

Time stopped. Irritated from the Doctors statement, his companion twinkled, not sure if she just imagined his words: "What? I mean … why?" As a matter of fact the TimeLord was suddenly irated, his mouth twitched angry and his fingers clinched here and there into tight fists. Roses stomach began to ache as he finally spoke again: "There will be no Christmas", he repeated dully. "Not here, not in the TARDIS. So spare your time, for it's not even worth a try." With that the Doctor turned on his heels to stumble towards the kitchen-door, leaving her dumbfounded behind like an abandoned child. Wasn't St. Patricks funny enough? Didn't he talk about Barcelona whenever it accured to him, willing to take her there? To watch the dogs with no noses? Was he beyond Christmas, though? Was it too boring for his kind? Rose frowned, angry herself now because of the Doctors unexpected, mean behaviour she clearly hasn't seen coming.  
But he would not come away with that, without even explaining it to her. And so the blonde girl grabbed the wet and mealy dishcloth and tossed it after him, slapping it right into his neck as he was about to go. He stopped in his tracks, rubbed annoyed the spot where Rose stroked him and glanced back at her, while she catched up with the alien to built herself up between him and the doorframe: "But … but you told me you have been Santa Clause once, was this jus' a big joke then, because that's not even close to funny. You love the earth, I know ya' do. And the humans with their stupid celebrations – you don't even need a second invitation to a party! Blame me, you wanted to travel to Scotland for nothing more but to watch those scottish men throwing tree trunks! And now you wanna cancel Christmas Holidays? The feast of love and friendship, and family? The most important holiday in the world?"  
The Doctor stared. There was something in his eyes what scared her, something cold and unapproachable, something she didn't recoginze nor like; this time his reply followed suit: "Why should I fancy the celebrations of stupid apes? Didn't ya notice how hypocritical your lot is on Christmas? It's disgusting." The TimeLord shook his head. "And even so … I don't have a family to celebrate with, Rose. I'm all alone, me. The last TimeLord, ya already forgot this? Don't you understand?"  
He pressed his lips together in a sad way and nodded stoic back at the galley: "Clean up and get ya' some clothes … we will arrive on Satellite Gamma B12 soon and I bet ya' don't wanna wander around in the 67th century in a bathrobe."

And Rose let him go, looked after him until his figure disappeard in one of the TARDIS' corridors. The blond didn't know what to think, let alone what to do. She was all about Christmas-Time, wanted nothing more or less but a cozy feast with the TimeLord; spending some good time together, like friends always do. So his rejection made her nearly want to cry – he was one of the simple sort, now was he? But it didn't accure to her in the least how awful Christmas may be for him, the lone warrior, the last of his kind. She has been quite insensitive, she assumed, but not on purpose! Rose didn't want to hurt him at all, on the contrary. "But you have me", the earthling whispered, lost in the dark with the working enginges of the TARDIS as her own attendant.

**** |[T]| ****

**TO BE CONTINUED  
**Oi. Quite a work! Now it's easy – there will be four chapters before Christmas.  
Let's hope Rose can persuade the Doctor to accept Christmas-Holidays after all.**  
**


	2. WINTER WINDS

**A/N:** Yeah … I know, I know … it's not Sunday yet. But I'm totally wasted. Wanna bake on the weekend, need to paper a wall in my flat, some friends wanna come over as well … so you see, I don't have much time to write for Sunday, let alone translate the whole chapter until then. So I hope you'll enjoy this little fluffy fun following right below. Thanks for clicking and reading so far.

My best regards (-:

**** |[T]| ****

And my head told my heart  
"Let love grow"  
But my heart told my head  
"This time no."  
[MUMFORD &amp; SONS - WINTER WINDS]

Rose had two options: first, she could go right after the Doctor and pretend that nothing had happened. That would ease the built up tension between them for he wasn't really the unforgiving type when it came to discussions and little fights. The blonde suspected also that the TimeLord knew he had been too harsh on her – so everything would be fine again, but Rose's wish for a merry little Christmas would've been gone as well. Perhaps her Gallifreyan friend would send her back to the Powell Estate, so she could have a great time with Mickey and her mum instead, picking her up right after the Holidays were over and therefore also the chance of spending them together.

Or, Rose could be persistent enough to discover the real problem behind the Doctor's wrath and find a solution for a change. She wasn't half bad in being stubborn herself and knew how far she could go with the Gallifreyan until he would lose his temper for sure. Her benefit in being insistent could be a possibility to go with the whole Christmas-Stuff she had planned for weeks, even if Rose risked an oncoming storm with that, so to speak. But what should happen after all? He would never ever abandon her for good and this the human girl knew for sure, because nothing in the world could separate the Doctor from Rose Tyler; he managed to prove that from time to time now. Rose wasn't just his companion or a friend, but his strength and a weakness – a terrible weakness sometimes, she considered.

The blonde blew up some hair from her forehead, which unglued itself from her bunches. She needed to do something! Anything. Right now, right then. And so she cuddled herself into the bathrobe, lifted her chin a bit higher than necessary and did a step in the Doctor's direction, stopping in her own tracks just for a brief second to look back into the kitchen: "Don't clean that up! I'm going to be right back", Rose ordered the TARDIS and received a warm hum in the back of her head in return – the fillip she needed. The Time Lord wasn't the only storm in the universe; he was very impressive once he got angry. But the Tyler-family wasn't a lause breeze either when it came to a good battle. And although it wasn't the best of ideas to fight fire with fire, the Earth-girl couldn't simply let go of their debate.

If the Doctor did have a real problem with Christmas though, he could have said something to her – that's what friends were for after all, weren't they? Rose wasn't able to put her finger on it, on his behaviour as such, for normally he was quite a likable fellow. Sure, he had lost his family and his home and he talked about it maybe once in a while, but never did he intend to whine about it – and clearly not in front of her. So, there had to be something more.

With her hands stuck in the pockets of her robe, Rose quickened her walk, the music which still came from the galley left behind as she entered the control-room. If you walked into the TARDIS for the first time, you'd be simply overhelmed. It wasn't just the size, the whole 'bigger-on-the-inside-than-on-the-outside-stuff'. Rose had watched a lot of people walk right through these doors, just to stumble backwards out of them as quickly as they could. No, what was very fascinating was the relative space within the ship. The whole space and time continuum, the possibilities to create your very own rooms in every size, like this enormous library the Doctor had with a swimming pool in it's middle just out of fun – a swimming pool in a library, Rose had laughed for days. Her Time Lord was indeed some kind of highness, wealthy because of the TARDIS. Interesting though, how such a man could lean seemingly peeved at the controls, with a deep frown between his eyes, far away with his thoughts so he didn't notice Rose until she came to a halt directly by his side.

The Gallifreyan blinked, a mixture of childisch defiance and insecurity in his sky blue eyes. He said nothing, but bent over the consol to activate the Time-Vortex, starting the TARDIS in her process to bring them beyond Time and Space. Before he could reach the final handle, his companion stopped him. The Doctor hesitated and suddenly breathed out loud, which reminded Rose of a wild animal being caged.  
He didn't look at her as he murmured: "Guess there's a reason why ya' still in those bathrobes."  
"I don't wanna visit GammaB12", Rose told him with a shrug. She searched his face for a reaction, but the Time Lord still focused on a point somewhere over the ship's control-panel: "Shall I take you home then? Back to your Mum?", he asked nearly careful in return, noticeably tense because of the inevitable conflict he had caused minutes ago. The Doctor seemed to fear that he could have scared her off with his outburst and the mean words which had come with it. He was surprised to see a small smile caressing Roses lips though: "Nope."

The human girl didn't hesitate any longer, grabbed the Doctor's hands and squeezed them carefully while she guided him two steps away from the control-panel; his sudden uncertainty a theater on his stony features. Mere moments later his startled eyes found hers for just a brief second, before he concentrated on something over Roses' shoulder she couldn't catch: "I wanted to -"  
"Rose, I'm sorry", the Time Lord disrupted the starting monolog of hers, his jaw working so hard Rose was sure it would break. He was a brave guy, one who had always had a hard time admitting his failures – but it wasn't the first time he did it, and that made her smile again. And suddenly he talked, suddenly he seemed sure enough he could trust her: "I know ya' meant it good with celebrating, and I understand how you must miss your traditions from home."

The Doctor's eyes searched her face: "You were right, I do love humanity's stupid feasts – I mean, ya' know, there are much better parties here and there, just think about the World-After-Show-Party we attended, or the 1020th' birthday of the Face of Boe." He shrugged. "I'd never say "no" to a bit of fun. It's jus' …" and there it was again: pain and sorrow, wrath – not directed at her, but himself. The Time Lord drew back again to handle some buttons on the console incidentally.  
The tenderness with which her companion stroked the TARDIS' control-plate let Rose shudder. She couldn't imagine what was going on inside his head – but it had to be some terrible things. And then, after the earthling feared the Doctor would remain silent once more, he finally spoke: "The Time-War ended at Christmas, 'cause of me … Gallifrey has fallen on Christmas-Day." He rubbed his neck. "Well … at least if we follow the human calendar, that is … – after my flight from the battlefield the TARDIS brought me back to Earth on Christmas Day. It was coincidence, could have been any other day on any other planet."  
"– but it was Christmas. And that's why you can't stand the Holidays, 'cause it's no feast for you, but a funeral."  
Rose received a small, dry smile from the TimeLord for her conclusion. "That's … awful. I didn't know that …" "It's alright Rose, it's not your fault." The Gallifreyan's fingers drummed nervously on the control-panel: "I was just too much of a coward to tell you." He chortled humorlessly at this and sighed.

Rose tried to imagine the pain her friend must feel, she couldn't; well, maybe a bit – yes. Enough, though, to understand why he had lost his temper in the first place. And she asked herself again, since she was travelling with the Doctor, how dangerous he really was and furthermore – could become. She had seen him in some state of rage already, quite often actually, but nothing of that was comparable to the things he'd done at war, she assumed.  
However, her common sense advised the blonde not to drift too far away with any speculations about the Time Lord's life, but to focus on the basics of their conversation from earlier instead: "Doctor, listen, didn't you mourn enough? There's no need anymore to condemn yourself … it's over, they are gone. You can't change anything about that. And Christmas isn't to blame either, d'ya understand what I'm trying to say?" Rose blinked two times; wasn't it obvious? "You are not alone. You don't have to fight on your own anymore … and you don't have to survive. Relax, let the past stay in the past." The Doctor's mouth twitched as he was pulled into a big and reassuring hug that he replied immediately. There; he needed this, she could feel him easing in her arms, could smell the taste of worn leather she liked about him and the slow beating of his two hearts.

"I thought you're some sort of Christmas-Freak … what with this red bicycle-stuff and all..." The Gallifreyan laughed against her head, his chest vibrating. Rose leaned back to arm's length, just to see a smile spread across his features. This was the Time Lord she knew, the one she wanted to see. "Ya' right, it's a long story. Could show it to you, though, if you want."  
"Show me?"  
"Yes."  
"But you can't cross your own TimeLine."  
The Doctor's smile was changing into a light grin: "No, I can't."  
"But there's no need to", he offered again and was in a hurry to get back behind the TARDIS' console, throwing a handle, pressing a button and correcting the coordinates on his table-screen. The Doctor suddenly seemed tob e in a good mood all over again and Rose couldn't help but wonder; he was some sort of mood-swinger. "You want Christmas, Rose? I'll give you Christmas. The best Christmas you'll ever have!"

The earth-girl frowned before, surprised, she stumbled across the plattform, because the TARDIS had been set into motion. Clinging to the reiling, she noticed the Doctor was running in new found high spirits around the control-panel, and she couldn't help but smile: "Change your clothes, Rose – it's gonna be cold out there." He looked at her and his eyes twinkled: "Thought, we'll pay Nicki a visit, he's an'ol' friend of mine. Though he prefers to call himself Santa Clause."

**** |[T]| ****

**TO BE CONTINUED:** The next two chapters are going to be quite funny … look forward to snowmen, speaking ice-bears, a lot of presents and a timelord-ish Toy-Manufactory … and well … SPOILER! (-;  
But thanks for reading so far. Have a good time!


	3. NORTHERN SKY

**A/N:** A note to myself: I'm an absolutley victim when it comes to writing-plans. But hey! Christmas is knocking on everyone's door, so it's not a bad time for another update, now is it? I hope I can amuse you, because that's what I want!  
Maybe you checked out my profile: the German Version of this story is already done, now I'm all yours until Christmas Day. I hope it's possible to translate the other four chapters in that time, for I do it all by myself.

So, shall we go on then?  
GERONIMO!

**** |[T]| ****

When I was a man I thought it ended  
Well I knew loves perfect ache  
But my peace has always depended  
On all the ashes in my way.  
[HOZIER · ARSONIST'S LULLABYE]

Her eyebrow twitched expectantly; Rose founded her balance again and followed the requested nodding of the Doctor to the double doors of the TARDIS, after the time-machine's engines stopped at last. He was grinning from cheek to cheek with a joy, which hardly showed how truly hurt he had been just moments ago. Oh, the Gallifreyan was good at things like that! Displacement, stiring up trouble, raging and destruction wherever he set foot on foreign ground: so it was unnecessary to make the TimeLord a metaphor, for he was indeed a multi-faceted man, always living in his own hustle and bustle, making decisions in no time and this not seldom without a plan.  
Actually Rose loved this about him. It made him and his life thrilling – and was probably the lodestone which attracted Rose like the moth to fire. Every day discovering something new, never stop, always on the run. There were times when the girl would have laughed out loud when somebody would've told her that she was even going to consider to live a life like this, traveling through Time and Space, visiting foreign planets and stars, where there was nothing more for her than meeting friends and hanging around in putted on carelessness: without graduation. Withouth a Job. Without a future. But that was just Powell Estate – living and dying; everybody got the same unimportant fate and the same uneventful life.  
Roses eyes met the Doctor's open and blue ones; he stood there, nearly pounting at her while giving an inviting, but impatient wink towards the doors. He didn't seem to understand her sudden hesitation, nor accepting it:  
"What'ya waitin' for? Go on! Have a look."

She brought her lips between her teeths, countering his impatience with the most charming smile she could offer while turning to the double doors of the TARDIS with a fluttering bathrobe. But the first thing Rose faced on the other side of the time machine was blanc cold air, which made her suddenly staggering back the way she came from. Her shocked wheeze led the Doctor to her side, but more out of curiousity than real concern, imitating Roses intention of stepping outside onto the place they just landed on: "Oh", he retorted short at first, looking to his blonde companion with an amused half smile, whereas he pressed the door gently back into the padlock. "Sorry, that wasn't exactly what I thought it would be." The doctor scratched thoughtfully his jaw with a single finger, before he grapped Roses hand to draw her after him behind the control plates of the space ship: "To answer your question: yes, it's the right place." He shook his hand dismissively: "The coordinates must have been wrong, haven't been here for a while, me. Don't know, can't be far away – 100 metres, 150 metres at the most … everything's fine, we'll be there in no time and then –"  
"Where are we?" Roses tone sounded irritated.  
"The North Pole."  
"The North Pole?"  
"Why, of course."  
The earth-girl knew she looked like a big fish suffocating in a net, for she couldn't shut her mouth at the Doctor's response.  
"Don't ya know where Santa lives? Hawaii? Everybody knows it's the North Pole, Rose. That's where he has his toy-manufactory."  
"Just fairytales, Doctor." The TimeLord couldn't help but grin: "No, it's not. Come on, put some warm clothes on and I will show you! You'll find something suitable in the wardrobe. Guess it's high season in the manufactor, it's Christmas Day."  
"It's already Christmas?" Roses eyes grew for a second and while the Doctors grin turned into a soft smile, she forgot about the surprise of being unexpectedly on the coldest place on earth. "Oh yes, thought it would be some fun to meddle with Time … it's your special Christmas after all, isn't it? So why should ya wait any longer while you force me to eat your terrible baked cookies?" He saw her fist coming and took a safe step aside.

Rose felt a bit overhelmed. Ten minutes ago, the Doctor didn't even think about Christmas, let alone initiating something similar, now the Gallifreyan landed on the North Pole just to show her Santa Clause's factory. It was extremely inconsistent and likewise puzzling, but it was typical for her alien friend to banish his true feelings into a hole of his awareness, where nobody could look beyond his stony façade. Rose wasn't sure what she should think about that, while her hands found the way back into the pockets of her robe, walking through the loneley corridors of the TARDIS.  
It was certainly a fine gesture from him, though. A difficult situation for the Doctor, giving in into something he knew he would not be happy about – simple remarkable. The blonde sighed and stroked some hair behind her ear, knowing for sure she would accept his offer and his sort of gift without any doubt or any further question.

The wardrobe had anything a girl could dream of. Rose was slightly surprised, whether the Gallifreyan had a thing for collecting clothes like this, or if he lived indeed as long and in so many ways that everything in there was his own from the very start. She persumed collecting, though. Because while traveling between Time and Space, to Earth, another Planets, a Satellite or a Moon, a thing or two would always find its way into his large TimeLord-Pockets by nothing more but a blink of an eye. He truly got this skill of a thief, a fast hand, defty fingers – so it was most obvious where the clothes from the TARDIS came from, or well – could have come from.  
It was wasted input nonetheless, for Rose knew for sure that the Doctor didn't change his appearance that often, let alone accordingly to their trips. Rose couldn't help but smile, though, whereas her eyes were fixed upon a certainly accessory she noticed while looking around. Over there, in the corner of one of the smaller wardrobes, hung a hat. It was a big, beautiful hat made of brown leather, which would have looked adorable on someone like Indiana Jones for example. She fished after it, turned it between her hands and put it onto her head, where it slipped past her nose in an instant. Rose laughed. Oh she loved this sort of room, its coziness, those rags and things – a treasury for her liking.

**** |[T]| ****

Rose was bulked up in cotton wool. She thought it necessary, because of the cold, to put on an amount of different things, crowned with a fluffy scarf, a long whooled coat, gloves and a cap. The blonde never ever was on a place like the North Pole before, so why underestimate the weather and risking to freeze to death? But it wasn't really comfortable walking back to the control-room, for it was warm under layers of polyester and cotton and the corners of her coat were far too long for her own good, anyway.  
To her surprise the Doctor was reading. He sat on the pilot's chair in front of the control panel, a knee at his body while he balanced himself with the other food on the edge of the console, patiently entertained by his own thoughts – and therefore the perfect point for a well placed companion's attack: the old hat under her arm, Rose tackled the TimeLord from the side, using his irritation to her advance to put the hat with a firm grip on top of his head. The Doctor lost his balance, but managed to hold on Rose out of reflex as the book fell to the floor in the meanwhile: "Oi!"  
Rose laughed, staggerd under the Gallifreyan's weight who supported himself on her shoulder, and did a half step to him, to move the hat in a better position under which the Doctor shot her a furtive look. She grinned, took her tounge between her teeth and surveyed the Doctor's new look like an artist her work. The earthling snapped her fingers: "You, Sir, you look quite fantastic." He didn't reply though, just wrinkled his forehead to look at the Blonde with a raised eyebrow, before he took the hat with mild curiosity from his top: "That's an ol' rag, that is." Rose shrugged: "lay around, found it – and it's freezy outside. Be happy I didn't brought you the ugly brown cap with the reindeers on it… -"  
"But I love reindeers! That cap is great, did ya' ever wear something like that on a stormy day?" The Gallifreyan rubbed demonstratively his earlobe: "No cold lobes with a real cap." If it wasn't for Roses big brown eyes, he certainly would have thrown the hat away with so much as a second thought, so he gave up and sat it back on his head: "Satisfied, yea?" Rose nodded in agreement.  
"Very well, then let's go!"

"Where are we going anyway?"  
The Doctor closed his leather jacket, shoved the hat a bit over his forehead and stuffed his hands nonchalant into the pockets, while he was followed by his companion towards the double doors: "It's a surprise. Isn't that the reason for Christmas? Surprises an'stuff? Now come on." He towed Rose with his shoulder through the TARDIS's doors onto a wide and white stony winter-landscape. It snowed.  
The blonde one didn't like snow much, for it was wet and cold, and most of the time you found it basically in your shoes and therefore got slobbery feet. Besides, a snowball had hit her straight in the face as a child, so she was some sort of biased and more a summer's worshiper – and even so she wanted to cram a hand of snow right into the Doctor's neck, she didn't mind to come out of this frozen desert as soon as possible, to see what the Doctor wanted to show her. Christmas was okay, of course, with the lights and the fluff, a cup of tea or booze in a warm room, mistletoes and Christmas Trees – the North Pole didn't stand a chance to that, though.  
Some shallow breeze hustled over the scenery, obstructing their sight and the way they followed. The daylight was quite diffuse and the howling of the wind their own foreign companion. Roses arm found it's way around the Doctor's who headed for a direction, she couldn't make out between monotone white and desert. The walk took long enough to gave Rose a shiver once in a while; there were snowflakes in some strands of her hair, she didn't make to jam in her cap and her cheeks were already reddened by the wind. She pulled together not to whine.  
"Here we are then!", the Doctor said after some time and looked down at Rose, meanwhile a clearly red nose on his own face, which made her inevitably smile. He turned around two times, got to the knees, searched the powdery ground for something even with the Screwdriver and rubbed his neck a bit confused, before he was interrupted in his search by Roses sudden rasp.

He was by her side in a meantime, following her gaze that lingered thunderstrucked on a shadow, which came suddenly across the distance to them with long, mighty strides.  
The earthgirl screamed then, and searched for shelter behind the TimeLord's back in an instance; she looked over her shoulder to the TARDIS and calculated rather amateurish how fast they might get back to the phone box, before the wild animal would catch up with them (Where did it even came from?!). But the ice-bear was near and the ground quivered under its motions until it jumped. The bear's fur waved like a mane in the wind; it roared and stood up on its back-paws, gnashing the teeths and ready for a hungry strike. Any second now and it would be over; a fantastic Christmas? Thank you very much, space-boy.  
Rose wheezed in fear, pressed her eyes together and prayed to all the gods as the Doctor's leather jacket moved with his counter-attack. He wasn't going to rip of the bears head with his bare hands, now was he? She counted down to three and held her breath – but the final kill and the feeling of razor-sharp claws in her body never came.

**** |[T]| ****

Instead there was laughter cutting the solitude of the North Pole. Both arms around her body, Rose risked a brave blink over the TimeLord's shoulder towards the ice-bear, which sit on his paws, his own arms spreaded invitingly for a surreal, big and furred hug. And indeed: the Doctor didn't even hesitate to press the creatures body against his own what seemed to be a long and welcoming embrace as if the bear was nothing more or less than a stuffed little animal or an old friend. She wanted to stop him, wanted to scream at her companion and the obvious danger in his actions, but the hassle reached its summit as the creature began to liften its dark and controlled voice: "Doctor, my Doctor! I knew it!" The bear slapped the TimeTraveller with his big paw between the shoulder blades until he inevitably stumbled. But the Gallifreyan grinned in the wolfish way of his, warm and friendly.  
"You changed a bit", the creature moved on. "Your ears are bigger than the last time I saw ya', but I recognized your hat, couldn't overlook this ol' rag of yours." It seemed proud with itself for a moment, until the light in its eyes vanished again: "Thought ya' dead, made us worry about ya'. Orga was practically furious, as ya' didn't come back."  
Hands deep down in his pockets, the Doctor looked guardedly with cool blues eyes at the ground, where his foot drew a forlorn circle; he paused: "Needed to do something", he finally spoke. "There's been a war on my planet … and we lost, I couldn't come back, not yet … I'm sorry." The bear winked: "No problem, Doctor, no reproach. Though … well … we did some changes since then, needed to apportion our time-ressources. But the earth doesn't stay still, now does she? It's getting worse by every year, can tell'ya that." Suddenly, the animal grinned again and Roses noticed how lively eyes the bear had: "You wanna help then?" The Doctor pushed the hat a bit upon his forehead and looked back to Rose for the first time since the creature started to speak.

The girl jerked by the amount of unexpected attention, but the bear just smiled curiously – as far as one could tell that, though: "If Rose wants to help? Thought she might wanna get to know you." The ice-bear came closer, while every step he took stirred the snow beneath his feet. Rose tensed, stared the animal in its face and stopped breathing, while it took a deep sniff with its big nose right in front of her own.  
"Rose, this is Nicki." The Doctor was by her side again, apparently pleased with himself all of a sudden. One could tell he enjoyed the blonde's reaction, her surprise, the unbelief and her fear – he liked it, when someone got to know something entirly new, and speaking polar-bears added this sort of repertoire in any case.  
"Santa Clause is a bear?", was the first thing which came to her mind and so fast she has stuttered it, she stopped: "I mean … uh … Hello?"  
"Hello", Nick whispered interested, drawing a circle around the earthling like an animal did with its pray. Meanwhile the TimeLord continued: "Don't get him wrong, Rose, everything's fine. His people come from Septima Borras, better known in the Universe of the TimeLords as the Northern Star oder the Northern Sky. Daleks killed most of them long time ago, before the great war on Gallifrey even began – their home has been destroyed. And before you wonder: they can switch their present, pretend to be a part of their surroundings, if it's essential for them."  
Nick sat himself in front of Rose into the snow: "My name's Nickar, Missy. There're just a view of us remaining – a possible flight because of a certain TimeLord." He looked to the Doctor "We won't be still alive if it wasn't for him. Settled here, made us a new place to stay, a home – about 500 years ago after your calendar. We are no trouble-makers and our talents lay in craft and trading, that's why we got this factory. We started with some carpentry until we went on with toys. The whole Christmas-Story developed through the years though, because we loved the idea to celebrate our new home once in a while to say thank you. We are not more than tolerated refugees under the stormy eyes of your friend over there." Nick appeard thoughtful. "But I bet you thought me a big an' ol' man with beard and stuff, did ya' not? The Doctor loved to dress like that and me too, sometimes, truth be told."

Rose just stared quite dumbfounded, though Nicki laughed raw and nodded back to the direction he came from just minutes ago: "It's a bit cold outside, let's go to the factory. Orga's loosing her mind already, made some hot chocolate for ya'. Ya' like chocolate, I hope? Come on. This way." With that, Nickar turned on his paws to lead the way. Rose gazed up to the TimeLord, who grinned slightly and held up his arm for support. Could it get any crazier?

**** |[T]| ****

**THX FOR READING.**


	4. THROUGH THE VALLEY

**A/N:** First things first: thank you so much for your reviews! I hope you will enjoy the last bit of the story as you loved the first chapters. It's some work to translate, truth be told, so please forgive me my slow updates. We are almost done anyway.  
Some asked me, if I could translate my other stories too – I'd like to do that! But I'm not sure where to start. "The Codeine Scene" is something you're going to like, though. Maybe I'll continue with that (also I bet you'd love *Broken Clockwork* – it's sort of survival on Gallifrey with Nine and Rose).  
Until then, thanks a lot.

Merry Christmas.

**** |[T]| ****

It's the thrill that keeps me going  
and puts the gleam all in my eye.  
I adventure just to conquer a new  
monstrous enterprise.  
All the world is my stage.  
[SHAWN JAMES · INSANE]

"This is our production area Alpha."  
The hangar in which Nickar guided them, was stuffed with machines and other equipment Rose never ever had seen before, but which let the Doctor shifting beside her in quite a delight, for he commented anything with "Oh's", "Ah's" and "Fantastics". The sight seemed endless – well, you couldn't see much, because the machines were as nearly high as the ceiling, so there was no end in sight better to say.  
If you came through the lovely decorated, dark and wooden doors, you saw a big grandfather clock on the left which ticked towards the twelve on a blank plate withouth dial. Rose wondered a brief moment what purpose the clock might have and commented the sight of it to the Doctor: "The grandfather's doesn't show the time." – "No, it doesn't", he retorted, distracted by two bulky men who tried to seperate a wood panel with a large stigsaw. As he didn't explain further, Rose just shrugged, rubbing her earlobe: "Okay."  
It smelled like cookies, mulled wine and cloves, the constant murmur of the workes sounded as much as inviting as the softly Jazz-Music in the backround. In the middle of the room, or Rose persumed it was its center, towered a generous tree, adorned with tinsel and lights, surrounded by unopened presents in every colour one could imagine. The workers were well-built men in shirts and long leather pants, one with beards, others wie long hair or totally bald; they didn't look up from their work until Nick whistled with his fingers between the lips to welcome their newcomers.

Rose looked at Nickar by her side with careful amusement; actually he had lead them across the cold landscape towards a shaft, which ended in a small cave. The first part of this cave was empty except from a view ice-flowers and icicles on the walls, in the back of it was a big and silver portal, engraved with writings and signs from a long time ago. The ice-bear explained it to Rose and the Doctor as the entry to his factory as well as his home, he bid them welcome and repeated his invitation for tea and biscuits, while changing in front of them from an animal to a man like it was an incidental.  
Rose was on many adventures, met a lot of alien creatures – but none of them changed its entire body to replace it with a whole new one so far: a human being with skin and hair and the most golden eyes she'd ever seen. Nick smirked rather about her reaction, though and tapped her shoulder with one of his big hands, while he stated that one get used to watching it sometime. He told her also how common shapeshifter were on earth and recalled old Egypt for an example with their belief in gods which were half human beings, half animals.  
It was a natural process for their kind, a process they could not fathom in words and the Doctor agreed that the gift of the Changers of the North was very rare and strange. He persumed softly into Roses ear, that the people of Septima Borras didn't know the process of their species entirly by themselves, as they walked through the door in another world.

And now here they were, Rose nearly embarrassed because of the mens curiosity, which concocted in front of them. Nickar just grinned; he was wearing a long coat, which looked a lot like his fur, his naked skin shimmered crested with old ornaments and signs underneath, similar to the doors they walked through moments ago. On his faced laid an open subtlety and all in all Roses valued his optical age nearly comparable to the Doctors. The shapeshifter was tall, but gracefully nonetheless and Rose decided to herself that she liked him. This didn't change with his outstretched arms and warm greetings he directed from the whole lot to the TimeLord and his companion. One or two of the workes nodded friendly, another waved what Rose replied right away and some others just surveyed them a bit critical.  
"Friends, look what the cat dragged in – our most beloved TimeLord, the Doctor, with his adorable companion Rose. They'd like to help us with this year's distribution and I have taken their offer gladly." Nick pointed to the clock, which hands hadn't moved an inch since their attendance although Rose could hear a steady Ticktack from its wooden body, like the beat of a heart in a human chest. "The feast of all feasts is awaiting us, Gentlemen. The precautions are running on high levels already; with the Doctor's help the distribution will be done in no time tonight, so what do you think about throwing a big party after that?" The workers raised their fists up into the air, until they clapped their hands in approval. Attending a party? Rose saw back to the TimeLord, but his face was unreadable, so much as a stoic façade with the slight hint of an anguished grin.

She wasn't sure what he wanted to accomplish with this journey and if it really was fun for him at all. His relationship to Nick seemed close, but they didn't have seen each other for a long time (Rose remembered what the Doctor said about the beginning of the great TimeWar), therefore this visit had a bitter taste of guilt. But it was the Doctors design, the blonde thought, killing two birds with one stone: she got her adventure, her perfect and special Christmas which was anything but certainly not boring and interesting enough for the Doctor himself. And the Gallifreyan got a chance to settle debts with a friend. Ironic how an idea like this was born from the TARDIS' galley and her poor baking skills.  
"Is this okay for you?", Rose asked the Doctor gently, grabbing reassuring his hand. He blinked at her, nodded and smiled the first honest smile since their arrival.

**** |[T]| ****

It was an understatement to persume the whole factory was a small labyrinth. Nickar shooed his crew back to work and continued his tour with Rose and the Doctor, presenting them noticeably proud the wooden toys, dices, cards and a lot more bits and pieces he stuffed the Doctor without hesitation in the endless pockets of his jacket. He can't send them back into Time and Space without a good game, Nick said innocently, for there was always time for a play. The group was back in one of the endless underground corridors, as the shapeshifter started to chat freely: "I love them, your people. You haven't lost something you believe in. I don't speak of Gods, Rose, but of the simple story of Santa Clause who's an everyone's person, 'ya understand? It's awesome; my people lost its faith long time ago because of war, the earth gave us new hope. That's good."

The group turned around a corner and found themselves in a big and round place, surrounded by wooden stalls. A fire played with the shadows in the center and transported some pleasant warmth across to them."What is this all about anyway? I mean, you present the whole world on Christmas Day, how is this even working?" Nickar shrugged: "Actually we are working for U.N.I.T. – I'm sure your Doctor can tell you something about this lot. But U.N.I.T. supports us and keeps us secret to the world. See, my people are workes – and there's many work on Christmas, Rose – so we got a couple of contracts with businesses over the whole planet, where we are producing additionally the things they need for their Christmas-Sales. We split the earnings – though our visa depends on our activity. We may stay and live here, because of doing something. Quid pro Quo, if you know what I mean."  
"Sounds familiar", Rose replied dark with a second thought about Powell Estate. Was everywhere the same, wasn't it? Why should Earth made a difference towards aliens? If you can't effort something, you are not welcome. Yeah … well … thank you very much Mister President.

"It's okay and it's fun, also the work is demanding, we won't complain and with the technologies of the TimeLords it's pretty comfortable." Nick was in a good mood, which didn't copy the Doctors new found silence during they walk. "And the TimeLords just gave you their techniques?"  
"Well, yes and no, Rose", he finalley spoke, a small frown on his face. "Nicks people are workers and merchants, TimeLords are masters of Time and Space. They completed each other in some ways. Bags, sacks or boxes with endless space eased the trading between Septima Borras and Gallifey and they brought this already existing technology to Earth."  
Sounded like a good explanation for the whole *bigger-on-the-inside*-stuff related to Santa Clause's sack, though. Rose watched the Gallifreyan by her side, a small grin on her lips, with the tounge stucked between her teeth distracted for a moment by the idea of him dressed up as an old man with white beard just to make some children smile. "Oi, look! Orga's already waiting for us", Nickar pointed to one of the little huts where a woman welcomed them with a friendly wave through the window.

**** |[T]| ****

Rose tried very hard to digest her first encounter with this uncommon and special folk, supported by some tea and biscuits as a warm welcome in Nickis home.  
Shapeshifting aliens: refugees from another planet – which was destroyed in a war – were running a toy manufactory in the North Pole? It was a wonderful story of some sort and Rose thanked the Doctor for telling her. It was also refreshing to meet an alien folk which didn't want to conquer earth, rob or sell it, let alone kill them all in an instant.

Orga was a kind woman, round and motherly, with a temper that reminded Rose clearly of Jackie Tyler. She got a loud and sounding voice and didn't seem to have problems in ordering her husband around, to make their guests comfortable. She hugged the Doctor in the meantime, just to slap him afterwards, scolding him for his long absence. Nevertheless Rose enjoyed her stay at Nickar's very much, cuddling in the pillows nearby a small fireplace to rest her chin on the TimeLords shoulder.  
Nicks hut was christmassy decorated, but a bit different from what she knew from home. There were twigs everywhere, crested with golden tinsel. Candles burnt in every corner, and the smell of cinnamon was quite present. It was the perfect atmosphere one could wish for at Christmas, even without famous Christmassongs blowing out of the radio. "I like this", Rose whispered towards the Doctor with the hint of a compliment. "Thought so. But we are not here for feed and doze, Rose. That's an adventure after all." The TimeLord shifted slightly beneath her and for moment she expected him to draw away from her. But to her surprise, the Doctor just shoved up his leg and placed his arm nonchalant around her waist. Sometimes Rose wondered if he even considered his actions, let alone knew what they triggered when he was as near as this to her. She didn't mind, though.

"Well …" Nick stumbled clumsy through the room, rolls of parchment in both his arms, which he tossed between tea and cookies on the table. He ignored the disapproving look from his wife and scratched casually his neck as he explained further: "…how about this: we'll send you in your TARDIS above Great Britain. I'll give you the exact coordinates later Doctor – bet you will be busy with around 63 Million people. We meet here later, to celebrate. So it would be a pleasure to see you there." Santa Clause folded the papers – nothing more or less than name-lists (at least another cliche) – and handed it to them: "Same procedure as every year, Doctor."  
The Gallifreyan leaned with his elbows on his knees in the meanwhile: "Sure. And I know Rose would love to attend your party." He smiled. "We came too far for less, my friend – besides she would reproach it in eterinty if we miss this." Nickar barked with laughter and replied: "Women! Be careful, buddy, for you can't never trust one of them. Praise your wife! But, hey – it's wonderful. The boys are already packing – practically we can start any moment. The presents for the island were stored in Gamma-Two. I'd say I'll take you there and then we start?"

Rose didn't find a chance to protest, to make sure she and the Doctor were just friends – like she always did. But she stopped in her motion as she recognized a thoughtfulness she didn't saw on his face before, reflecting deep in the blue eyes of his. The TimeLord didn't reply though, for Nickar was right anyway: he got her clinching, sort of. They were connected in a way no one tried to speak of; but they felt it. She knew they did – and wasn't that enough? "Right then, off we go", her alien twinkled softly. The Doctor sat the hat back onto his head, thanked Orga for her hospitality and reached for Roses hand like he always did, when he was about to run.

**** |[T]| ****

**Two more Chaps to go!**  
I wish you and your families all over the world a merry little Christmas.  
Have a great time and thanks for reading.  
(-:


	5. LOVE IN A FOREIGN PLACE

**A/N: **Here we are again! (HAPPY NEW YEAR, BTW!)  
I'm so sorry it took a bit longer than expected to translate the last big chapter of the story.  
So thank you for the feedbacks and for reading on, now we've got only the Epilog left to finish this up (-;

Have fun &amp; thx.

**** |[T]| ****

Feeling more human and hooked on her flesh  
I lay my heart down with the rest at her feet  
Fresh from the fields, all feeder and fertile  
It's bloody and raw, but I swear it is sweet  
[HOZIER · ANGEL OF SMALL DEATH]

Rose watched both of Nickars' men from the workshop with growing amusement, as they tried to push a big sack full of presents through the TARDIS' doors. Nick himself sat beside them, transformed into a big icebear again, a gloating twinkle in his eyes, while the Doctor was noticeably worried about his beloved ship, clenching his rough hands to fists from time to time. It was clear he would have loaded the TARDIS by himself, if Nickar would've let him.  
The winterly storm had faded a bit, but it was cold nonetheless in the Northpol, so Rose cuddled deeper into the fur Nicks wife had gave her while saying her good bye.  
She was surprised though that Nick would not deliver all the presents by himself, but with the help of some other deliverer from his folk who simultaneously ensured that every present was in the right place at the right time – therefore every continent got its own Santa Clause. One, of course, would ride with a classic sleigh, like in every story known of him, magnificent and polished, but without reindeers. Another drove an oldtimer, quite cool and stylish, fashionable perhaps in the 19th century. And Nickar owned, like he told Rose with a big grin, a motor cycle with a sidecar where he would put his bag into, so he could spread the presents without much effort. "I'm to South America this year, you and the Doctor are going to share Europe with Lars – he's glad to save the way over Great Britain. We change the routes every year, otherwise it would be quite tedious, don't ya think?"  
Rose was excited. Over the Empire with the Doctor in tow and deliver presents? It was an adventure of some sorts.

"We are ready!", one of the workes shouted along the white cleary towards the bear, patting his hands from the dirt with his companion on his track, transforming in another two icy creatures right before Roses' eyes. The blonde catched a glimpse at the Doctor out of the corner of her eye, who stroke the TARDIS' doorframe in a gently manner she rolled her eyes at. This guy loved his ship obviously as much as anything else, and normally she was quite alright with that. But sometimes he just exaggerated it.  
"So you may start, Rose Tyler." Nicki sat on his back-paws, a toothy grin on his animalistic face. It took a great deal of overcoming to pat an icebear, where you considered yourself rather his snack. "I hope you have fun, enjoy it – and Merry Christmas! We will see us later." Nickar nodded to his friends and turned on the paws. Just a few steps later they where one with the thick, cold fog of the Northpole.

"You ready?" Rose didn't notice the Doctors arrival and twinkled two times in surprise as their shoulders touched. She considered him for a moment, his stern features, lined by small laugh lines; the hat was gone and probably thrown back into the depths of the TARDIS where it used to lay. "Ready when you are, Doctor." His lips twitched. He took her hand and pulled her with him; their steps crunched over the rough and icy ground. It began to snow and the sun sparkled through the veil of clouds like thick pargement. Everything was fine.

**** |[T]| ****

The Doctor dropped a lever, rattled some buttons and moved the screen, so he could enter the coordinates. He rushed around the whole console two times, pushed here and there another button and maneuvered Rose in position at the controls for a moment so he could start the engines. "Tell me about it", Rose asked after a while of silence, in which the Gallifreyan overlooked his own doings in concentration. He looked up from where he stood, appraisingly, until he shot her a wild grin: "There's not much to tell about. Was a Christmas Elf once, me."  
The TimeLord pushed off from the consoles, crossed his Arms behind the back and made a step into her direction, when his sudden awoken humor took wings and animated Rose to smile, too. Her fingers drumed on the control, she turned around to lean against it, crossing her arms and legs in the same motion, her brows raised in expectation. But when she hoped her gallifreyan friend would talk about his life just as easily as Nickar did, she was disappointed. His bright blue eyes searched for the Christmas-Bag full of presents instead, which layed in the TARDIS' anterroom, directly by the double doors, waiting to be spread. "Thank you", the Doctor finally said to Rose. "I was mean to you and that wasn't fair. I forgot my life and friends after the Great War, so I could hide behind a wall of self-pity. And you were right, it's not the fault of Christmas, though … it wasn't right to forbid it."  
He wanted to say more, Rose saw that; but he just stared at her, intensive and a bit forlorn, a small smile in the corner of his lips: so much a man of great words, but in the end just as small, when it comes down to his own true feelings. Rose made a step and slung his arms around him in a big and reassuring hug; and it felt good, this worn and cool leather beneath her fingertips.

"I want to show you somethin'."  
The TARDIS jerked for a second, while the Doctor grinned again from ear to ear. He demanded the blonde to wait and stumbled back at the console to bring the spaceship into backlash; in the meanwhile the TimeLord wanted Rose to change back into her winterclothes, because in the same sudden speed he run for the doors and opened them to take a look – to Roses surprise – not just through them, but upward. "Fantastic", he laughed, before he grabbed Santa's bag and vanished with a deftly jump over the railing underneath the console-room. Rose heard the Doctor searching for something until he came back with another sack in tow, which he filled eagerly with some of the presents from the other. "Er … do you need some help?", Rose asked after a while, but the Doctor ignored her, tested the weight of both the bags and pulled one behind him out of the TARDIS.  
They were still in flight, so much Rose knew and therefore she could not help but call out for the Gallifreyan, as he went outside to threw the sack with more effort but less grace on the TARDIS' top. "Come on!" The Doctor shot the earthling a dashing smile before he vanished from her view.

Rose blinked, but followed her friend nonetheless. She clinched sceptical on the doorframe and hesitated. Under her feet extended a real sea of light, crowded by slight clouds. It snowed and the moon, round and bright, welcomed her from behind the Scottish Highlands – it was quite chilly, a bit cold, but bearable, for the wind she expected in such a high didn't come.  
"It's alright, Rose. We are surrounded by a Nubis-Field … a sort of bubble filled with enough oxygen to park in the air. Unfortunately I couldn't stop the wind entirly, so please forgive the slow breeze." The TimeLord kneeled on the top of his ship, smiling down at her. His blue eyes sparkled with the curiosity and the expectation of a child; maybe that was the reason why she reached for his hand to followed him on the TARDIS' rooftop: "Take the small border to your left, than I can pull you up … exactly, well done!"  
"Where are we?", Rose hold on tight to the Doctors arm as she pulled herself next to where he stood, woobly knees because of the overwhelming high, underneath them nothing more but lights flashing through the dark night. "Somewhere over Bradford", the Gallifreyan leaned over Roses shoulder and directed with his index-finger into the darkness: "There, about 50 Miles away." It was breathtaking and equally crazy. For someone like Rose, who hated already ferris wheels, it surely was a challenge not to loose a nerve – and yet she felt comfortably and secure with the TimeLord's chest in her back. "And now?"  
"Thought you'd never ask."

The wild and consensual grin was back on his face, a special grin he only reserved for her. The Doctor fished after Santa's sack, which he swayed in his arms like an infant, before he approached the edge of the rooftop: "Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!" he thundered into the night and threw the bag as high as he was able to. The next Rose grasped in surprise was the sonic-screwdriver in the TimeLords hands, directed at the falling pouch which exploded into a thousand pieces in mid-air as it fell toward Earth.  
A short flash of light cut the night and Rose had to raise her hands over her eyes; she blinked two times in amazement. The sky glowed utterly golden as the snow fell in all its leisureliness to the ground. The sight reminded her on dying stars, their grace and tragedy she had already seen on the Doctors monitor in the control-room.  
The Gallifreyan spread his arms and frowned for a moment in real concentration to diffuse the golden fog with a strong and practiced movement so it would extend its haze over the whole island. "That's beautiful", Rose commented truly impressed, her eyes on the world, bathing in dust of gold beneath her feet. Was that the power of the TimeLords? From time to time one could forget the true nature of the Doctor, though. Rose didn't notice his own observing look he gave her out of the corner of his eye, while she was captured by the scene unfolding right in front of her.  
"Particles, sort of. An old kind of art invented on Septima Borras, a bit refined by myself. Saved us time and I was positive you'd like it …"  
"And every child got presents tomorrow?"  
The Doctor smiled. "Yes, they will. Every present was marked, so it knows where it belongs. It falls down on earth under the right tree, be sure 'bout that." He walked back to Rose and put his arm casual around her waste. "Look", and with a nodd towards the sky the blonde recognized another shimmer, similar adorable like their own, but likewise short in its existence. "Some prefer this sort of distribution, others want to hand over the gifts personally through the fireplaces. I didn't want to take either from you, so I kept a few presents." The Doctor's brows twitched mischievously over his forehead. "Care to rock some chimneys?"

**** |[T]| ****

Rose assumed they were out all night: from the Southcoast of England over Wiltshire, Norfolk, Derbyshire, until they reached Northumberland where they turned towards Scotland and Ireland. The TARDIS halted everywhere above the cities so the Doctor and Rose could jump on the roofs to deliver the last gifts to big families, small families, patch-works and orphans, old people, young ones, pairs and widows – everyone should get at least one present by the break of dawn and the feeling just warmed Roses heart to no end.  
As the sun rose above the overcast horizon to announce a new day, the Doctor and Rose made a layover at Big Bens's battlements to watch the people of London waking up and welcoming Christmas Day. In this moment, hands in her lap, feet dangling in the air, Rose's head found the shoulder of the Gallifreyan who layed his arms around her without so much but a slight hesitation. She closed her eyes, while she tried to store this little adventure as deep inside her mind as possible. "Thank you", Rose broke the silence after a while, surprising the Doctor, who obviously thought her asleep. "Thanks for everything." Rose raised her chin until their gazes locked. "You are welcome."  
They lingered for some time, surrounded by nothing but themselves until they thought about setting off to catch Santa's party in the Northpole.

Rose didn't ask to visit Powell Estate. It was no secret that the Doctor couldn't stand Jackie Tyler for long and although it was indeed Christmas Day, she considered it as a present to give him peace from her mother just this once. Perhaps she could talk him into leaving her for a day or two nevertheless, so she could drop by and say hello at home. It sounded like a good compromise to her, though.  
But now the rotors of the TARDIS grinded for one last time on Christmas Day and materialized in clody nothingless on the coldest place on earth. The feast ran at full speed on their arrival, for they could hear music and laughter through the doors of the ship; Rose knew the Doctor landed them directly on the market-place this time to spare them the walk over icy fields. She didn't mind.  
"Oi!" The blonde blinked irritated, roused by the TimeLords shout coming from the entry. He stood there, both hands on the hips, looking up to the top of the telephone box. "What's wrong?" He winked at her impatiently: "Look at this!" Rose displaced the urge to roll her eyes while she approached the Doctor, who nipped something off from the TARDIS's top which assumed to be nothing more like a twig: "She sprouds! 900 years of travellin', nothing more but small scratches and now her wood's goin' to rotten!"

Brows furrowed, Rose leaned a bit back because the Doctor nearly smashed the twig in her left eye. She looked at him quizzically, opened her mouth to say something, but closed it a heartbeat later just to presume: "You know what this is, don't ya?"  
"Of course I do! It's a Viscum."  
Rose wrinkled her forehead.  
"A mistletoe!" – the impatience in the Doctor's voice increased.  
In any other situation Rose would've been quite nervous and in search for a good excuse to maybe bypass the tradition a mistletoe-twig comes with (at least for his sake). But the TimeLord already made his own decision, beside her slightly stunned face, and snapped the twig with an unwelcome twitch of his lips to the ground. Usally the Doctor knew a lot about humans, though it was a bit surprising, he seemed to ignore the fact about kissing under little green twigs; though he never was the traditional type anyway. Rose sighed and guessed her regret on her following action, as she pushed herself on tiptoes to breathe the slightest kiss on the Gallifreyan's cheek, who suddenly stopped in his nagging tracks about the TARDIS' brittle until he silenced completely. She couldn't help but grin; it was ever so funny to cut him off.  
"Come on Santa Clause, I think they are waitin' for us."

**** |[T]| ****

Nickis family made a fantastic decoration. The place was more than comfortable with tables and benches for talking and fun. It smelled of grilled fish, of punch and beer. The effort of the night was all at once forgotton and the place invited her to a whole and welcoming Christmas. She didn't even have to look for long to find Nickar, who waved at her with a dashing smile: "Here you are! What took you so long? Come, the beer's got the right temperature. It's time to celebrate! What a wonderful year!"


End file.
